Combined vehicle door lock and engine control



Dec. 13, 1955 B, g, CRAN; 2,726,535

COMBINED VEHICLE DOOR LOCK AND ENGINE CONTROL Filed April 9, 1953 United States Patent() COMBINED VEHICLE DQR LOCK AND ENGINE vCONTROL Burnie J.. Craig, Los Angeles, Cahn Application April 9, 1953, Serial No. 347,671

23 Claims. .(Cl. 70.2.65)

This inventionrelates .to a. combined vehicle door lock and engine contr-.ol-

In operating an automobile. the Person driving will first. unlock one of the. .doors of the vehicle by means cfa key. Hewill then remove the key from the door,

enter. the vehicle with the key in his hand, insert the key 4in theA ignition loclc andy will turn on the ignition switch, He will then start thel engine and operate the vehicle.. .At his destination he will tnrn oi the, ignition switch,.r.en1ove the key from the ignition lock and place it in his pocket. Sometimes he will forget to. remove the.` key Vfrom the lock and the vehicle may be stolen.

It is asource of annoyance that the driver must twice move locks .tonnlocked positionand must twice remove a. key from its ,lock in operatingfa vehicle through a cycle..

The present invention overcomes the obectiohfsv .men-

tioned `by providingmeansk whereby only one unlockingv by secret means will condition the engine so that it may be operated and wherein should the. .operator so. condition. .the engine and fail to start. the engine, the engine will after a. time be rendered ineffective to .be Operated. With. this .last mentioned construction any likelihood of the. vehicle being thoughtlessly left in operative condi--l tion, so that it may be readily stolen, will be .Jvercorne.-

In other words, the invention provides means whereby the operator of. .a vehicle may simply remove the key from his pocket, unlock. the door, replace the key in his pocket, enter the. vehicle, turn on the ignition. and drive away. At his destination he may turn oi the ignition s with without the aid of a key and' may lock all .the vehicle doors; as by'keyless locking..

Thus it Vwill be seenrthat with the present. invention one. usey .ci a .single key in a .single lock permits` corn.- nletioncf .the cycle of unlocking the vehicle door, unlock ing the. ignition switch, turning ofi the. ignition switch and locking the. vehicle doors.

The generalobiect of .the invention is therefore to Provide an automotive vehicle which has. a. doorand .a latch for the door and. has a lock for. the door latch and wherein operation of the. door 'lock controls operaf tion-.oi the vehicle engine,

.Another object 'of the invention :is .to provide a secret unlocking the operation. ot which coincidentally permits operation. of the door latch to open a door and renders the .control .means of automotive vehicle en.- gine operable to cause the engine to run.

.Amore specific object ofthe invention. is toiprovi'de' an. automotive vehicle whi h without the vehicle by a secret lock with means whereby includes. a driving. engine.. and. a door having a lock which may be. unlocked .from

member 231.l disposed. within the vehicle and connected to the pivoteclA locking member 20. may be employedto when the secret door lock is. unlocked, the .engine will be conditioned. for operation.

AnOiher object of the invention is to provide novel means for controlling the. ignitionv circuitl of a motor? vehicle.

AnotherA object Of the invention is to provide novel means for controlling the ignition switch lOf a motor vehicle.

Another object .of the invention is to provide means for rendering. the ignition switch of a motor vehicle operative to startrthc engine when the vehicle door lock is unlocked by secret unlocking means.

A further object of the invention is to provide. van improved ignitionl switch for a motor vehicle circuit wherein the switch may bey rendered operable to close the circuit by ksecret lock means operable from withinV or without. the Vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a time controlled switch for the ignition circuit of an auto. mob-.ile engine.

A fnrther; object of the invention is to provide a novel time `Controlled; means for controlling the ignition switch of an. automobile engine.

Afnrther object of the invention is to provide anim.- proved secret .door lock controlled ignition switch for a motor vehicle circuitl wherein the switch when first operated to circuit closed position is thereafter operated, tov Circuit .open position.

,Other objects and advantages .of the. invention` will beV apparent from the following description taken in connecftion with the accompanying drawings, wherein-z Fig.; l is a side elevation with parts brokerraway shown ing a1 motor vehicle equipped with the invention;

Fig. 2 isa central switch;v

Fig. 43is a sectional. View with parts in elevation showing the latch member; and i Fig. 4 is a central sectional view showingthe switch and. associated parts.

VReferring' tothe drawing by reference characters,4 the invention is. shown as embodied in a combined vehicle door lock and eri-gine control,y which is indicated gen erally at 1li. As. shown, the .construction is mounted Qn ai vehicle 11, which is driven by an engine 12. The.

engineineludes. an ignition circuit 1,3, which includes a blillely 14. and .a Switch. 15 and the construction, exceptfor switch details to be later described, is conventional..

'Ehe body sprovided` with doors 16 which have latches 17 operated by pushbuttons 18 to release bolts 19, The lath deVtIe Shown includes a, Pivoted locking member 20. pivoied aty 20. on a reciprocating member 20" and which. is moved about its pivot 20' .from` locked to locked position by engagementwith a. stem-21 eccentrically arranged on a core 22 disposedv within alock barrel. 23 which. is. carried; by .thepush button. 18. A

move4 the. locking4 member to and from locked position.

A. secret unlocking memben shownas a key 24, whenturned,y moves the core. 22. and causes the stem-v 21 to Y. move the lockingv .member 20v to and from unlocked` poe siton and vice versa to thus render the push button. 18 operable or inoperable to. release the bolt 19'..

The particular type of latch` construction :shown'is more fully disclosed in. applicatifs prior'application Serial No.l

includes a housing 25 in which a lock body 26 may rosectional view showing the ignition*v The showing. ofthe.

tate between certain angular limits. Within the lock body 26 a core 27 is free to rotate between limits when a key 28 has moved a dog device 29 from engagement with the body 26. The core 27, lock body 26 and dog 29 are conventional construction.

The core 27 includes a projecting portion 30 which has an eccentric pin 31 thereon. The pin 31 rotates a disc 32 which carries a circuit closing member 33 into and out of engagement with contacts 34, which are arranged in a disc 35. The discs 32 and 35 are held on the housing by a cap 36. The contacts 34 are connected to leads 37 and 38 of the ignition circuit previously mentioned. An arm 39 is connected to the body 26 by a pin 40 so that the body 26 may, after it has been freed to rotate, as will be presently described, be turned by the arm 39.

In order normally to prevent rotation of the body 26 in housing 25, a plunger 41 is provided. The plunger 41 passes through a slot 41 in the housing 25 and enters a slot 41 in the body 26. The plunger is mounted in a sleeve 42 which has a cap 43 thereon through which the plunger extends. A spring 44 normally urges the plunger 41 to engaged position.

The sleeve 42 is disposed on a cylinder 45 which reciprocates upon a piston 46. The piston 46 is iixedly mounted by an integral bracket 47 which includes a base 48 on the support 49 upon which the switch 15 is mounted. A slot 50 in the wall of the cylinder 45 receives the bracket 47 to permit reciprocation of the cylinder. The piston 46 has a groove 51 which receives a resilient O ring 52 which serves as a packing. A compression spring 53 normally urges the cylinder upwardly so that the plunger 41 is normally urged to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The piston 46 is provided with a valve member 54 which includes a spring pressed ball valve 55. When the cylinder is moved downwardly compressed air in the cylinder will pass out through the ball valve 55 but the valve will prevent entrance of air to the cylinder. A bleed aperture 56 provides passage into the cylinder. An adjustable threaded valve 57 regulates the rate of ow through the passage 56.

The cylinder has a threaded closure 58 thereon, which has a hole 59 through which a traction wire 60 of a Bowden wire 61 slides. A head 62 on the Bowden wire engages the inner surface of the cap 58. The Bowden wire 61 is connected to a crank arm 63 on a sleeve 64 which is secured on the core member 22 by a pin 65. In operation when the driver inserts the key 24 in the push member 18 and turns the key he will rotate the core 22 causing the sleeve 64 to be rotated clockwise in Fig. 4, thus rocking the crank arm 63 and pulling the wire 60 downwardly. This will cause the cylinder 45 to be moved downwardly against the tension of the spring 53 and air will pass around the ball valve 55. This action will cause the plunger 41 to move out of the slot 41" in the lock body 26 so that the lock body 26 is free to rotate.

The driver will then withdraw the key 24 and will enter the vehicle and will turn the arm 39 so that the circuit closer 33 will close the circuit through the contacts 34 and leads 37 and 38 so that the engine may be operated. The key 28 which is a duplicate of the key 24, previously described, may be used to withdraw the dog 29 and permit closing of the ignition circuit should this be desired.

Assuming that the key 24 has been employed to condition the switch 33 and that the plunger 41 has been withdrawn from the slot 41'. The key 24 is returned to normal position before it is withdrawn and this restores the crank arrn 63 to the normal position of Fig. 4. The spring 53 has been compressed and the volume of the interior of the cylinder 45 has been decreased. Air passes int'o-the cylinder 45 through the hole 59 and then enters the upper portion of the cylinder 45 through 4 the bleed aperture 56. This causes the spring 53 to slowly raise the cylinder 45.

If the switch has not been turned on by the member 39 the plunger 41 will slowly enter the slot 41" to thus again lock the ignition lock. Thus, if the driver unlocks the door with the key 24 and fails to turn on the switch, the switch will again become locked.

However, should the driver turn on the switch and more the slot 41" from the path of the plunger 41, the plunger 41 would then engage the outside of the body 26 of the lock and as the cylinder 45 is pushed upwardly by the spring 53 the plunger 41 would compress the spring 44 which is much lighter than the spring 53 and thus the time device would be returned to normal position with the plunger 41 engaging the outer wall of the body 26.

When in this condition movement of the member 39 to circuit opening position would rotate the body 26 and would move the slot 41 into the path of the plunger 41 whereupon the plunger 41 would move into the slot 41" and the ignition switch would be locked.

The time device, therefore, would enable the operator to unlock the door, enter the vehicle and start the en gine. However, if the operator should thoughtlessly unlock the door and leave the vehicle, the switch would be returned to normal locked position after a brief interval of time so that likelihood of theft would be overcome.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A motor vehicle having an ignition circuit controlled internal combustion engine and a lock controlled switch for the ignition circuit, and which has a body provided with a door and has a secret locking member for the door, in combination with means actuated by movement of the door locking member to unlocked position to release the ignition switch lock.

2. A motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an ignition circuit associated therewith and which is provided with an ignition control member, and which has a body provided with a door and with a secret lock for the door, in combination with mechanically actuated means actuated upon movement of the secret door lock from locked to unlocked position for conditioning the ignition control member so that it may be operated to permit the engine to run.

3. An automotive vehicle construction including a body and an engine for driving said body, control means operable to cause said engine to function, a lock normally preventing operation of said control means, a door for said body, a lock for the door, secret means to move the door lock to unlocked position and means including a part movable by the door lock and operable when the door lock is moved from locked to unlocked position by the secret means to place said engine control means in condition so that it may be operated to permit the engine to function.

4. An automobile including a body having a door with a door lock and having a driving engine which includes an engine control member operable to cause the engine to function, a lock normally preventing operation of the control member, the door lock including an unlocking member, and means operated by movement of the door lock unlocking member to unlocked position to release the control member lock so that the control member may be operated to permit the engine to function.

5. An automobile including a body having a door with a door lock and having a driving engine which includes an engine control member, a lock normally preventing operation of the control member, the door lock including an unlocking member, and means actuated upon movement of the door lock unlocking member from locked to unlocked position for releasing the control member lock.

6. An automobile including a body having a door with a door lock and having a driving engine which includes a normally open circuit, circuit closing means operable to c lose the circuit, means` normally preventing movemen-t of: the circuit closing means to circuit closing position, the door lock includingy an unlocking member, and actuating means extending from the unlocking member to the circuit closingmeans and operable when the door lock is unlocked to render the preventing means ineffect-i-veito prevent movement ofthe circuit closing means to circuit closing position.

I7'. A vehicle including a' door, a latch for the door, means inside the vehicle for locking and unlocking the latch, secret means outside thel vehicle for locking and unlocking the latch, an engine forv driving the vehicle, an ignition circuit forthe engine, a switch forV the circuit, a lock controlled memberwithin the vehicle for moving the switch tol on and-olf positions and manual means including an actuating member operated by the secret 'locking and unlocking means and independent of the lock controlled member and operable to render the circuit closable while the inside lock controlledv switch moving member remains locked.

8. An automobile including a body having a door with a lock therefor and having a driving engine which includes Aan ignition circuit, an ignition circuit switch and anaignition. Aswitch lock, an outside operated unlocking member for the door lock, an actuating member extending from the door lock to the ignition circuit switch lock and operable to a position to release the switch lock and means operated by movement of the door lock unlocking member to unlocked position for moving the actuating member to switch lock releasing position.

9. A vehicle including a body having a driving engine which includes an ignition circuit and a control member for the circuit, means normally holding the control member in o position, a door for the body, a latch for the door, a lock for the door latch, and means including an actuating member extending from the door lock to the circuit control member and operable upon movement of the door lock to unlocked position to free the holding means.

10. An automobile including a body having a door and having a driving engine which includes an ignition circuit, a lock for the door, a lock controlled switch for the ignition circuit, secret means operable from without the body for unlocking the door lock, and actuating means extending from the door lock to the ignition lock and operable when the door lock is moved to unlocked position by the secret means to free the ignition switch lock.

11. An automobile including a body having a door and having a driving engine which includes an ignition circuit, a secret lock for the door, secret releasing means operative from without the body to unlock the door lock, circuit closing means operative from within the body to close the ignition circuit, means normally holding the circuit closing means in open position, and means extending from the door lock releasing means to the ignition circuit closing means and operated by movement of the secret door lock releasing means to unlocked position to free the circuit closing means holding means.

12. An automobile including a body having a door and having a driving engine, said engine having an ignition circuit, a door locking member movable to locked and to unlocked positions, manual means operable within the body to move the door locking member to unlocked position, key operated means operable from without the body to move the door locking member to unlocked position, switch means for controlling the ignition circuit and means including an actuating member operated by actuation of the key means when the latter moves the door lock to unlocked position to condition the switch means for movement to ignition circuit closing position.

13. An automobile including a body having a door with a door lock for the door and having a driving engine which includes an ignition circuit having a normally inoperative switch therein, secret locking means for unlocking the door lock, and actuating means including a portion extending from the unlocking member `to the ignition circuit switch to simultaneonslyA render the ignition circuit switch operative when the secret lockingl operated4 by movement .of the secret door lock lreleasing means to unlocked position Iforsimultaneously operatingr` the actuating means torender the ignition lock .operable to close the ignition circuit, movement of said inside means to position to unlock the door lock beingineifective to render the ignition lock operable `to close the ignition circuit.

15;. In an ignition circuit for a motor vehicle which includes a body and an engine, an ignition switch, key controlled means normally preventing closing of the switch and operable by the key to close, the switch, means operable independently .of the key controlled means. ,to free the preventing means, means normally preventing operation ofthe last means, secret lock operated' means operative to move the last mentioned preventing means to nonpreventing positionV and means to thereafter return the preventing means to preventing position.

16. An automotive vehicle construction including a body, an engine for driving said body, said engine including an operating electrical circuit, a switch controlling said circuit, key controlled means normally preventing closing of said switch and operable by the key to close the switch, a door for the body, a lock for the door, secret means for locking the door lock, means operable independent of the key to close the switch, means normally preventing operation of the last mentioned means and means operable when the secret door lock is moved from locked to unlocked position to move the last mentioned preventing means to non-preventing position.

17. An automobile including a body having a door with a door lock and having a driving engine which includes a normally open circuit, circuit closing means operable to close the circuit, means normally preventing movement of the circuit closing means to circuit closing position, means extending from the door lock to the circuit closing means and operable when the door lock is unlocked to render the preventing means ineffective to prevent movement of the circuit closing means to circuit closing position and time controlled means to return the preventing means to preventing position after it has been moved to non-preventing position.

18. An automobile including a body having a door and having a driving engine, said engine having an ignition circuit, a door locking member movable to locked and to unlocked positions, manual means operable within the body to move the door locking member to unlocked position, key means operable without the body to move the door locking member to unlocked position, switch means for controlling the ignition circuit, means normally preventing movement of the switch means to circuit closing position, means including an actuating member operated by actuation of the key means when the latter moves the door lock to unlocked position to condition the switch means so that it may be moved to ignition circuit closing position, and time controlled means operable to return the preventing means to non-preventing position after it has been moved to preventing position.

19. In an ignition system for a motor vehicle engine, a member movably mounted and having ignition switch closing means thereon, means normally preventing movement of said member to closing position, a locking member, means operable by the movement of the locking member to unlocked position to shift the preventing means to nonpreventing position and time controlled means to return the preventing means to preventing position after it has moved to non-preventing position.

20. In an ignition circuit for a motor vehicle which includes a body and an engine, an ignition switch, key controlled means normally preventing closing the switch and operable by the key to close the switch, means movable independently of the key controlled means and operable to close the switch, means normally preventing operation of the last means, secret lock operated means operative to move the preventing means to non-preventing position and time controlled means to thereafter move the preventing means to preventing position.

21. An automobile including a body having a door and having a driving engine and having a control member to be moved to one position when the engine is running and to another position when the engine is standing idle, a latch for the door, a lock for the door latch and a lock for said control member to lock said control member when it is adjusted in the other position for the engine to stand idle, in combination with means interconnecting the door lock and control member and acting when said door lock is unlocked to condition the control member for movement to the said one position.

22. An automobile including a body having a door and having a driving engine and having a control member to be moved to one position when the engine is running and to another position when the engine is not running, a latch for the door, a lock for the door latch, and a lock for said control member to lock said control member when it is adjusted in the other position for the engine to stand idle, in combination with means interconnecting the door lock and control member and acting when said door lock is unlocked to release said control member lock.

23` An automobile including a body having a door, a latch for the door, a lock for the door latch and having a driving engine and an engine control member movable to an operative and to an inoperative position, a lock for releasably holding the control member in inoperative position and means for actuating said door lock to an unlocked position, in combination with means operative when the actuating means moves said door lock to unlocked position, while the control member is held in inoperative position to release the control member lock and to thereby free the control member for movement to operative position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,362,417 Hammer Dec. 14, 1920 1,701,584 Moorhouse Feb. 12, 1929 2,031,344 Thomasma Feb. 18, 1936 2,203,949 Edwards June 1l, 1940 2,661,621 Stern Dec. 8, 1953 

